Malta's Film Industry Cements Its Status As A Thriving Production Hub

Malta has spent the last decade establishing itself as one of Europe's most sought-after filming locations, drawing more than 30 major film and TV productions a year for each of the past three years, including a record 36 in both 2023 and 2025. Recent and upcoming titles span Jurassic World Rebirth, Gladiator II, Enid Blyton adaptation The Magic Faraway Tree and Jason Statham thriller Mutiny, alongside productions in which Malta stands in for Greece, 1980s Sicily, southern France and the Caribbean.

"For such a small European country, Malta is really punching above its weight," said Adrian Wootton, chief executive of the British Film Commission, who described the Malta’s approach to diversifying its industry as aggressive, in a positive sense.

The country’s appeal is rooted in decades of sustained investment, from two of the world's largest water tanks built for maritime filming since the 1970s to a growing roster of international relationships and expertise. Malta's film commissioner, Johann Grech, has signalled plans to pursue private investment for an €80 million studio complex, reflecting the industry's growing economic importance to the country.

Grech noted that Malta's film industry has moved from a seasonal draw to an operation "working every day, all year round," a shift that speaks to the scale of infrastructure and talent now in place on the Malta. That momentum has also drawn high-profile industry figures to Malta's shores, including Ridley Scott, whose return to shoot Gladiator II followed his earlier work on Gladiator more than two decades prior.

Malta's positioning as a production hub, built on sustained investment and decades of expertise, has fundamentally reshaped its film industry, turning it into a genuine economic pillar with growing international recognition.